Voices of the Bay: Barrington’s Lisa Lowenstein

Lisa Lowenstein’s childhood was immersed in the worlds of art and architecture. She learned about the creative process from her fine artist mother, and a pragmatic understanding of how to build and repair things from her late father, an architect. When it came to career paths, her parents purposely steered Lowenstein and her siblings in different directions. The Barrington resident earned a BA from the University of Rochester and an MBA from the London School of Economics. While working in management consulting with creative businesses in Rome, Italy for over 15 years, the artful environment reignited her lifelong interest in jewelry design. Lowenstein returned to the States and launched her business Fulva Fusca in 2012, based on three fundamental components: aesthetics, meaning, and sustainability. View Lowenstein’s work May 4 and 5 at the Fulva Fusca show at IMAGO Gallery, Warren. Learn more at FulvaFusca.com.

ART DNA: My parents convinced me to not go into the arts. They were adamant, but you can’t take it [the arts] out of you. I channel the genetics of my parents. I have been making jewelry since childhood, and my dad taught me how to fix things. I mentor a lot of kids who are creative, many of whom have parents who are not supportive. Parents will allow a doctor to go to med school for years because they know that trajectory. But if you’re an artist and you’re not successful in six months, then [you’re told] you shouldn’t do it. From my MBA training, my goal is to find what is the essence of someone who needs coaching and help them elevate that in the context of being commercially successful to make a living.

HIDDEN TREASURES: I always say there’s enough engagement rings in the world to last forever. We don’t need to mine any more diamonds, silver, or gold. People have so many unused things in their drawers and don’t know what to do with them; they’ll bring me old things and say, “do something with it.” There are materials in this state that I find all the time. I will dig through old warehouses and old basements. I really believe in sustainability.

BUILDING CHARACTER: I will take a piece of your jewelry that you don’t wear anymore, maybe because styles change or your lifestyle or needs have changed. I study your current lifestyle, repurpose the piece with other parts, and turn it into something that you love. I have a tremendous respect for physiognomy (assessing someone’s personality by their appearance), which is why I make so many styles. There are national jewelry companies good at identifying styles that kind of work for everyone, but the styles don’t necessarily make anyone look striking. If someone is drawn to my design work, they will find that my work isn’t made for people who all look the same. I work with 30 different Rhode Island expert makers – metal casters, platers, and stone setters.

CHARMED LIFE: I love to take jewelry and make it not only about how it looks on you, but how it makes you feel. Not only do you feel attractive in it, but also what’s the sentimentality, the spirituality, and the energy that you get from it; it actually flatters, and that’s why I call it adornments.